Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Sweden captain and winner of nine league titles in
Italy, Spain and Holland, has risked the ire of Liverpool fans by
encouraging Steven Gerrard to leave England and move to what he calls “a big
international club”.

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Unfulfilled: Steven Gerrard is likely to retire without winning the Premier League titlePhoto: GETTY IMAGES

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Young gun: Steven Gerrard preparing to make his first England appearance in 2000Photo: EMPICS

Gerrard will win his 100th international cap against Sweden on Wednesday and, while Ibrahimovic was sincere in his praise of the Liverpool captain’s qualities and European status, he also contrasted his style with “the normal English player”.

Ibrahimovic has played for AC Milan, Barcelona, Juventus, Inter Milan, Ajax and now Paris Saint-Germain during a nomadic but highly successful career and admitted that he would like to see Gerrard play abroad. “I think Steven Gerrard is a fantastic player,” Ibrahimovic said. “He has been loyal to his club, he has won some big trophies with the club. He feels more an international player rather than a normal English player.

“English players have big hearts, always fighting, very aggressive, but Gerrard, for me, feels more international. He has more skills than the normal player.”

Asked if Gerrard was equally respected among the most celebrated European clubs and players, Ibrahimovic said: “I know so. Every time we play against Steven, the coach always says to be careful with that player because he is the player who makes the difference. Of course Liverpool is a big club but I would like to see Steven in a big international club.”

Gerrard responded by saying that he has no intention of leaving Liverpool. “I’m a big fan of Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a player but unfortunately I’m not going to take his advice on board,” he said. “I am at Liverpool FC – one of the biggest clubs in the world, five times European champions. I’m happy where I am but I appreciate his opinion.”

Sweden’s manager, Eric Hamren, was equally honest but blunt yesterday when the subject turned to Wilfried Zaha, the latest big hope for English football. Asked what he thought of the Crystal Palace winger, Hamren said: “Wilfried Zaha? I know some 'Saha’ but I don’t know if it’s the right one. No, I don’t know about him.”

When Hamren was told that Zaha had been compared to Lionel Messi, he joked that it was “scary” but also warned England against placing too much expectation on such a young player. “Sometimes you make a star too early,” he said.